


Going Faster Than a Rollercoaster

by outruntheavalanche



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Christmas, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Jeronica Secret Santa, Jeronica Secret Santa 2018, Underage Drinking, White Elephant Exchange, new relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-28
Updated: 2018-12-28
Packaged: 2019-09-29 02:17:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,661
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17194619
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/outruntheavalanche/pseuds/outruntheavalanche
Summary: It was the best Christmas Veronica had had in years.





	Going Faster Than a Rollercoaster

**Author's Note:**

  * For [hitchhikersguidetotheuniverse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/hitchhikersguidetotheuniverse/gifts).



> Written for [](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/hitchhikersguidetotheuniverse/profile)[**hitchhikersguidetotheuniverse**](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/hitchhikersguidetotheuniverse/) for the [Jeronica Secret Santa exchange](https://nullrefer.com/?http://jeronica_secretsanta.tumblr.com). Sorry this is a bit late! Hope you like it, and had a great holiday too! 
> 
> Thanks to my friend [](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/izzetboilerworks/profile)[**izzetboilerworks**](http://www.archiveofourown.org/users/izzetboilerworks/) for the beta! 
> 
> Also, I should mention this is set in some nebulous time period safely tucked away from canon. Black Hood? Gargoyle King? I can't read suddenly. 😎
> 
> Title from "Everyday," by Buddy Holly & the Crickets. I think the [cover by Rogue Wave](https://nullrefer.com/?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nF63VHVEx6s) fits the mood perfectly, though.

Veronica put the finishing touches on her Christmas tree—artfully arranging silver tinsel just _so_ over the outstretched branches—and stood back to admire her handiwork. 

She had to admit she was damn good at it. 

Leaning back in, she tweaked the listing star atop the tree to keep it from toppling over and then retrieved her phone out of her handbag. 

Now Veronica artfully arranged _herself_ in front of the twinkling Christmas tree and snapped a few selfies, cycling through poses and facial expressions before she found something that worked. When she was done, she uploaded the picture to her Instagram account and stuffed her phone back into her purse.

She had only a little over an hour before Archie, Jughead, and Betty would arrive for their cozy Christmas getaway. 

Snow pattered against the windowpanes and skylight, and when she lifted her head, she could see cottony tufts shaking from the branches of the tall fir that loomed overhead. 

This would be the first Christmas she and Jughead would be spending in the same vicinity since they’d become—well, whatever they were. Maybe, _possibly_ a couple? It was hard to be certain, especially when Betty was still a factor. She and Jughead had been off-and-on for years, and were more off than on in recent years, but there was just something about the first spring blush of love. 

Veronica sighed and tugged at the tinsel fringing the bottom of her Christmas sweater.

She was _not_ looking forward to seeing Archie. They hadn’t spoken since their last breakup, but it wouldn’t have felt right _not_ to invite him. Veronica just didn’t know how to interact with Archie when she and Jughead were sort of _maybe_ on their way to becoming a thing.

Veronica put her phone aside and started straightening up, fluffing some throw pillows and arranging them on the couch before going over to her father’s liquor cabinet and sorting through the inventory. After selecting some shot glasses, Veronica put aside a half-empty bottle of rumchata and Fireball. 

Checking the clock on the wall, she saw that she only had a few more minutes of solitude before her friends would arrive.

Veronica retrieved her bag of white elephant gifts and put them under the tree. 

She stood back and admired her tree and the pile of gifts underneath it. 

Everything was going to be perfect.

The front door swung open and a familiar voice sang out, “We’re _heeeere_!” 

Betty Cooper stepped in and shook her snow-covered boots off on the floor mat. Jughead and Archie followed her in, their arms loaded up with gifts and plastic grocery bags.

“The place looks great, Ronnie,” Betty said, tugging off her scarf and hanging it up on the coat rack beside the door. 

Veronica greeted her friends each with hugs, saving Jughead for last.

“I’m so glad you all could make it,” she said, giving him a squeeze on the arm. 

Jughead raised his eyebrows at her. “No hug for me?” he asked, though he didn’t sound terribly upset. Rather, he just sounded amused. 

Veronica offered him a slight smile and backed away, stealing a quick glance Betty’s way. But Betty didn’t seem to notice anything off between Veronica and Jughead. After the group migrated into the kitchen, Veronica grabbed the glasses and the alcohol.

“Who wants a shot?” Veronica asked, breaking into a big grin. 

After handing out glasses, Veronica doled out the rumchata and Fireball.

“Happy holidays, everyone,” Betty said, lifting her glass. “To peace and love.”

“To friendship,” added Archie, tapping his glass against Betty’s.

“And alcohol,” Veronica threw in. 

The four of them laughed and downed their drinks, slamming the empty glasses on the kitchen counter. 

Veronica winced and wiped the back of her hand across her suddenly stinging eyes.

“That was great, but I feel like I’m gonna burst into flames,” Archie joked. 

Veronica leaned against his side and Archie slung his arm around her waist. 

“Who’s ready for presents?” Veronica asked, patting the back of his hand. 

“I am,” said Betty. “I can’t wait to see the look on my white elephant recipient’s face when they open my gift.” 

Betty laid her presents out next to Veronica’s, and then Archie and Jughead chipped in with their gifts. Veronica couldn’t help but smile; it reminded her of the Christmases she used to celebrate with her parents before… Well, before everything.

Clapping her hands in delight, Veronica gave a little pirouette, the skirt of her Christmas tree-printed dress fanning out. 

“I’m _so_ happy you guys could make it,” she said, beaming at her friends.

“There’s no place I’d rather be,” Jughead said. A smile curled up the edges of his mouth.

Veronica couldn’t help but smile back at him, her cheeks flushing with pleasant warmth. But as soon as she realized she was smiling at Jughead, she glanced around, wondering if anyone had noticed. Archie and Betty were engaged in conversation, though, and hadn’t seemed to notice Veronica and Jughead sharing a private moment.

“I need to get some snacks together,” Veronica said. “You wanna help me, Jughead?”

“Your wish is my command, m’lady,” Jughead said, bowing with a little flourish before following Veronica into the kitchen. 

When they were alone—and Veronica had double-checked to make sure the kitchen door was shut securely behind them—Jughead leaned in, guiding her back against the door.

“I thought we’d never find a moment alone,” Veronica offered, reaching up and tweaking Jughead’s collar. She paused, pursing her lips. “You and Betty seemed pretty close…”

“We’re still friends,” he said, tucking his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. He leaned closer, until all Veronica could focus on was the curl of his breath against her cheek and the way his eyelashes fluttered over his cheeks. “What about you and Archie, hm?”

“Well, like you said. We’re friends.” Veronica continued playing with his collar, feeling suddenly nervous, her stomach doing pirouettes and flying leaps. “Are you sure the door is—”

“The castle keep is barricaded from intruders, Princess,” Jughead said, with a dry laugh. “You done distracting me from trying to kiss you?”

“They’re right outside the door,” Veronica pointed out, reasonably, she thought. “What if they came in?”

“They won’t.” Jughead sounded certain of that fact—too certain.

Veronica couldn’t help but wonder…

“Are you suggesting _Archie_ and _Betty_ are…” She trailed off, letting her hand come to rest on Jughead’s shoulder. 

Jughead quirked his lips into a smile. “They’re about as subtle at it as we are,” he said. 

Veronica let out a relieved laugh as she wound her arms around his neck and pulled him closer. “Then I guess we don’t have anything to worry about,” she murmured, as she tugged Jughead down and slid her lips against his. 

One of his hands palmed at her hip and she felt the other on the side of her face, fingers twining loosely in her hair. His lips felt cool and tasted like soda. The long, lean lines of his body pressed against hers, crowding her back against the wall. Their knees bumped and Veronica was pretty sure she trampled his toes more than once. 

The kitchen door swung open and Veronica froze against Jughead, her fingers caught in his wavy dark hair.

“Ronnie, do you have a corkscr—” Betty paused in the doorway, a bottle of Daddy’s expensive merlot clutched in one hand, and Archie stumbled into her back, a party hat sliding off his head and landing on the kitchen tile. 

Archie blinked, then squinted at Veronica and Jughead, who retreated almost guiltily. 

“Are you guys _kissing_?” Archie blurted, and from the way he swayed heavily into Betty’s shoulder, Veronica realized he was already drunk. 

(Truth be told, she probably would have cottoned onto Archie’s state of sobriety once she noticed the coloring of his cheeks and tip of his nose matched his bright red hair, but still.)

Veronica tugged at the bodice of her festive dress, feeling decidedly less jolly at the interruption. “Juggie was just helping me with—with—” She turned and looked at Jughead, waving a hand at him, waiting for him to provide her with a believable excuse.

“The sugar,” Jughead spit out. “I was helping Ronnie—I mean, Veronica find the sugar.”

“I’ll bet you were,” Betty said, shaking her head, her blond ponytail whipping Archie in the face. She turned and touched his cheek lightly, twisting her lips. Then she looked back at Veronica and Jughead and just shrugged. “Are you two gonna come back and join us? Archie brought Cards Against Muggles.”

She turned and flounced out of the kitchen, her ponytail bobbing. Archie trundled after her, practically stepping on the heels of her ballet flats. 

Jughead tilted his head toward Veronica. “Is it just me or do they seem awfully close?” 

Veronica looked over at him. “You said that earlier.” She reached out and rubbed a smear of lipstick off his bottom lip. 

“You know, if this were a couple months ago or even a year ago I’d have expected fireworks. Severed limbs. Gore and explosions. But I think that went about as well as you could’ve expected,” Jughead said.

Veronica, thinking of the dark alter ego Betty sometimes slipped into in her more volatile moments, nodded in agreement. “Yeah… Maybe we’re making progress after all,” she said, slipping her hand into the crook of Jughead’s elbow. 

Jughead leaned in and planted a kiss at her temple. “Shall we, Princess?” 

Veronica laughed and squeezed his arm, resting her cheek on his shoulder. “Let’s.”

After standing up on the tips of her toes and giving Jughead a kiss on his jawline, the two of them rejoined Archie and Betty in the living room.

If Archie and Betty sat a little closer to each other or Veronica and Jughead finished each other’s sentences more often than usual, no one said a thing. 

It was the best Christmas Veronica had had in years.


End file.
